


that's how i learned how to survive

by cool lesbian (falloutblink182)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: :(, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Light Angst, M/M, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, and azula and zuko being siblings, azula and iroh also get hugs, azula is loved and happy, basically in this fic its fathers day but zuko is.... pretty fine with it??, bc they talk about lu ten and ursa, i just wanted a bit of lesbian content bc im but a simple dyke, katara aang suki and hakoda are mentioned but dont feature, like they deserve, the azula/mai/ty lee is in the background so if u dont ship it u can ignore it, they paint each others nails its very cute, this is mostly domestic fluff, toph doesnt actually appear but she texts zuko so i tagged her, zuko gets lots of hugs and kisses LIKE HE DESERVES, zuko is loved and happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:08:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24883576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falloutblink182/pseuds/cool%20lesbian
Summary: It's Father's Day.Maybe that's not so bad.[Or: It's Father's Day, and Zuko is actually fine.]
Relationships: Azula & Sokka (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Mai/Ty Lee, Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Comments: 98
Kudos: 645





	that's how i learned how to survive

**Author's Note:**

> hello zukka nation. i love zuko and don't see enough fics of him being happy, and since i am incapable of writing anything but fluff i am here to provide. sorry about toph's proper grammar in her texts but she uses speech-to-text software. 
> 
> title is from survival song by ajj.

The sun is already leaking through the bedroom curtains when Zuko wakes up, and he allows himself a few minutes of stretching languidly in the soft light before getting up, being careful as to not disturb Sokka’s still sleeping form. He pads into the kitchen, flipping on the kettle and frowning at the Venus Flytrap that is definitely dying on the windowsill – the leaves are turning a gross black colour. He thinks it’s possibly past the point of saving, which isn’t surprising. He and Sokka had received many houseplants since living in this apartment, and most of them had either perished or were liberated from their home by either Suki or Aang.

He’s shaken out from his sleepy thoughts by the sound of the kettle, and he carefully pours out two steaming cups of tea. He breathes in the scent of the mixed spices and closes his eyes as the kettle warms his hands. Distantly, he can hear the sounds of Sokka stirring and getting out of bed, but right now he focuses on straining the tea leaves and adding just enough sugar to Sokka’s mug.

Sure enough, Zuko feels arms wrap around his waist as he’s stirring Sokka’s tea, and he smiles as he feels his boyfriend’s breath on his neck. Sokka mumbles something that could be ‘good morning’ into the nape of Zuko’s neck, but his voice is too muffled to know for sure. He reaches one arm around Zuko to take his ‘World’s Okayest Brother’ mug.

“You know, it would probably be easier to just let go of me?” Zuko says, taking his own mug (a garish rainbow coloured mug with the words “nobody knows I’m gay” printed across it in a bold font) and smiling as he takes a sip. The one arm Sokka still has wrapped around Zuko’s front just tightens in response.

“Mm, nope! I’m actually required by law to hold you for as long as possible today,” Zuko can’t see Sokka’s face, but he can picture in his mind the grin that is most definitely stretched across his face right now. He sets down his tea and turns to face Sokka – and yep, there’s that grin, half-masked by his own cup of tea.

“Well, if it’s a legal requirement, that’s a different matter _entirely_ ,” Zuko drawls, and runs his fingers through Sokka’s bedhead. Sokka just hums, still too clouded by sleep to come up with a better response.

“C’mon,” Zuko says eventually, tugging at Sokka’s hands. “Let’s have some breakfast.”

* * *

**From: Sokka**

**To: World’s Greatest Uncle**

**-** _hey man! happy father’s day! thank u for everything u’ve done for all of us, im super glad zuko has u <3 _

**-** It’s been a privilege to watch you and your friends grow up, Sokka. I’m glad Zuko has you in his life also. I hope you enjoy your day with your father!

* * *

“You sure you’re gonna be alright today?”

After breakfast, the two showered and got dressed before collapsing onto the sofa together. Zuko looks up from where he’s scrolling absent-mindedly through his phone to send a soft look towards Sokka.

“ _Yes,_ Sokka.”

“Are you sure? Because I could ring Dad and –”

“ _Sokka._ I’m not a child. I’m sure I can last a single day away from you.” Zuko lifts his legs onto the couch and gently kicks Sokka’s thigh. Sokka laughs and shoves his feet away.

They sit in silence for a moment – Zuko can see Sokka’s mind working away, thinking of something to say, and he hopes it’s not going to be another offer to stay with him. When Sokka does eventually speak, it’s not what Zuko expects.

“I’m just – I’m proud of you, y’know?” Sokka smiles – it’s not his usual grin, but that rare smile that few people get to see. “I’m glad you’re doing this. I’m glad you have Azula.”

Zuko can’t help but smile back.

“Me too,” he says, and they sit there, smiling like idiots at each other until Sokka jumps up and mutters a string of curses.

“I’m going to be so _late,_ Katara will have my head, _fuck,”_ he gathers up his phone and the card he had bought for Hakoda, throws on his shoes, and does his best to ignore Zuko giggling on the sofa as he rushes around their flat like a headless chicken.

Finally, Zuko manages to usher him out of the front door, shoving the car keys into Sokka’s back pocket and pulling him in for a kiss before he can say anything else. Sokka’s surprised yelp is muffled and Zuko can’t help but laugh into the kiss.

They pull apart and Zuko straightens out Sokka’s jacket.

“Tell Hakoda that I wish him a happy Father’s Day,” Zuko says, barely giving Sokka the chance to nod before he’s pushing him away and heading back into the flat. “Now go! Leave! Go!” The sound of Sokka’s surprised laughter echoes down the hall as he goes.

* * *

**From: Zuko**

**To: Hakoda**

**-** _I wanted to wish you a happy Father’s Day, and to thank you for everything you’ve done for Sokka and Katara, and for me. I hope Sokka doesn’t drive you too crazy today!_

**-** Zuko, you’ve been a great friend to my children, and you make Sokka happier than anyone else I know, so thank YOU! And it’s not me you have to worry about Sokka driving crazy – he’s not even arrived yet and Katara is already ranting about him!

**-** _please try to send him back to me in one piece_

**-** no promises! :P

* * *

When he gets back into the apartment, Zuko takes a few deep breaths as he lets the sudden silence wash over him. It’s easier to be relaxed with Sokka around – his unmatched energy leaves little room for any of Zuko’s negative thoughts to break through. Without Sokka around, things may be quieter, but Zuko isn’t the same terrified kid he was back when he was first kicked out. He continues breathing steadily and reminds himself that it’s _just a day._ It means something good to Sokka, and to Katara, and to Aang, and even to Toph, but that doesn’t mean it has to mean the same thing to him.

He goes back into the kitchen to brew himself another cup of tea. Iroh’s present is sat on the dining table, and the shiny silver paper throws rainbow reflections across the kitchen in the sunlight, making Zuko smile. He snaps a picture of the rainbow streaks to send to the groupchat, captioning it with _can u believe the sun says gay rights._ He quickly follows it up with an image description for Toph’s sake. Aang replies with lots of heart-eye and rainbow emojis, along with an apology for making Toph’s text-to-speech read them all out.

He pours his tea into a travel cup, glaring at the Venus Flytrap as he does so. A spider crawls across the plant pot and right over the leaves – slowly but surely, as if it’s mocking Zuko for his terrible plant care. The flytrap, of course, doesn’t respond at all. Zuko huffs in mock-annoyance.

With his tea poured, he grabs his gym bag, Iroh’s present, and his travel cup before heading out. He shoves his earphones in his ears and plays his _fuck u dad_ playlist that Suki and Toph helped him to curate as he begins his walk to the gym.

* * *

**From: Zuko**

**To: Matt Murdock Wannabe**

- _hey, are you gonna be okay today?_

-Yes, Mum. I should be asking you that.

- _I know that being around your parents can be hard! I was just trying to be a good friend!_

-I know, Sparky. Thanks. Don’t let Azula kick your ass too hard.

_-Ha ha._

* * *

He gets to the gym just as the last notes of the AJJ song he’s listening to fade out. Azula is there waiting for him, sitting on the wall out front and scrolling through her phone with a bored expression on her face. Zuko takes out his earphones walks up to her, waving awkwardly when she looks up from her phone and smirks at him.

“You ready to get your ass kicked, Zuzu?” She says in lieu of a hello, and Zuko rolls his eyes.

“You fucking wish,” he says, and they grin at each other before heading in.

* * *

Zuko has missed this.

He knows that Sokka thinks he’s crazy – who would miss getting their ass kicked? Zuko, apparently. But it’s good. He feels good. Nowadays, the only times he really gets to practice his martial arts is when he’s teaching the kiddie group on Wednesday evenings, and he doesn’t trust himself to spar with anyone yet.

Anyone other than Azula, that is.

It’s weird, he _knows_ it’s weird, especially as in those final years before he got kicked out, Azula certainly didn’t pull any punches with him. Things change, however, and now Azula is the only person who he feels simultaneously safe and challenged when sparring with – he trusts his sister to not injure him, but she also doesn’t hold back.

They don’t do this often – both of them have their own individual busy lives, and they’re never going to be as close as Sokka and Katara – but sometimes they meet up to spar. It’s something they’re both good at, they both enjoy, and they’ve worked hard to turn the competition element of it into harmless sibling rivalry rather than a tool to use against one another.

So yeah, he’s missed this. He’s missed the adrenaline, the sweat, the insults that they throw at one another but don’t actually mean. He’s missed _Azula._ They talk a lot online, but she’s so busy with her studies and her job and her girlfriends, so they don’t meet in person as much as Zuko would like (not that he’d ever admit that to her face, of course).

Azula doesn’t fight dirty like she used to, but Zuko can tell she’s been practicing – probably with Ty Lee. She’s faster. Quick on her feet. But Zuko is better at _thinking_ fast, knowing when to dodge and when to strike. All in all, they’re pretty evenly matched.

They fight until they’re both exhausted, lying on their backs on the mat as they try to catch their breath. Zuko knows he lost more fights than he won, but he doesn’t mind all that much. He looks over at his sister, who is sitting back up and pushing her sweaty hair out of her face.

“I’ll meet you outside after we hit the showers,” she says, her usual smirk replaced with a tired but genuine smile, and Zuko nods and watches as she heads towards the women’s changing rooms.

* * *

**From: Sokka**

**To: my e-boy boyfriend <3**

**-** _still alive??_

-yes, mum

- _just checking! r u done at the gym??_

-yeah, headed to iroh’s now

_-have fun <3 love u !!_

-love you 2 :p

* * *

He’s the first one out of the showers – Azula is presumably taking her sweet time blow-drying her hair to perfection, whereas Zuko has left his towel-dried and damp. He scrounges up enough change from the bottom of his very eco-friendly tote bag (a gift from Aang, which Sokka made fun of until Aang gave him his own) and feeds it into the vending machine to get a sparkling water.

“I can’t believe you still drink that stuff,” a voice comes from behind him, and he turns to see Azula with a disgusted look on her face. She pushes him to the side and feeds her own change into the machine. Zuko takes a long drink from the bottle, his single eyebrow raised, and Azula mock gags. “Eurgh, you’re such a freak.”

Azula gulps down her own drink, and Zuko shrugs.

“Must run in the family.”

Zuko suddenly finds himself wearing his sister’s drink, after having watch her do an impressive spit-take at his comment. He wipes his face down with his sleeve as Azula leans on the vending machine and tries to get her laughter under control. Eventually she calms down and takes Zuko’s arm to pull him towards the exit.

“Has that boyfriend of yours been giving you comedy lessons, Zuzu? That was almost funny,” she punches him on the arm – hard, but not as hard as Toph does – and Zuko rolls his eyes.

“Oh, you wanna talk about funny? What’s funny is the fact that you _spit your drink_ all over me!” He tries to sound annoyed, but the laughter in his voice and the smile on the face gives him away. His mock-indignation, however, sets Azula off again, and soon the two of them are stood in the lobby of the gym uncontrollably giggling.

Their laughter subsides eventually, but the smiles remain on their faces. Zuko pushes his sister towards the automatic doors and he squints as the sun gets in his eyes.

“C’mon,” he says, one hand shielding his eyes as he talks to Azula. “Let’s go see Uncle.”

* * *

Their walk to The Jasmine Dragon is fairly uneventful. Azula gloats about her wins in the gym and Zuko retaliates with maturity (i.e. he calls her names and swears he was letting her win). Azula teases him about Sokka, but Zuko shuts her down quickly by making her blush when he brings up Mai and Ty Lee. They talk about each other’s significant others and their friends – Zuko regales the recent drama between Katara and Toph, and Azula tells him about the racist guy in one of her classes who she managed to get suspended. Zuko’s hair dries quickly in the summer heat, and he feels content – the sun warms his face, his sister is safe and laughing, and they’re on their way to see the most important person in Zuko’s life.

“Hey,” he says, swallowing down the lump in his throat that has suddenly formed. He nudges Azula with his elbow. “We’re doing okay, right?”

Azula pauses. Zuko can’t quite read her expression, but eventually she smiles.

“Yeah,” she nudges Zuko back. “Yeah, we’re okay, Zuzu.”

* * *

When they arrive at The Jasmine Dragon, Iroh spots them immediately and his face lights up as he rushes over to them.

“What a wonderful surprise!” the corners of his eyes crinkle as he takes in the sight of the two siblings. “Both of you here at once, how lovely!”

He pulls them both in for a hug at once. Zuko laughs and wraps his arms around his uncle. Azula, less accustomed to Iroh’s affection, looks slightly lost before Zuko pulls her arms around both of them as well.

“It’s good to see you, Uncle,” Zuko says in a low voice. “Do you think you can bunk off work for a bit? ‘Zula brought some fancy tea for us to try.”

“Of course! Go on through, I’ll be up in a minute.”

Zuko leads Azula through the back, nodding a hello at the bored-looking girl behind the till as they pass and leaving Iroh to remove his apron and to tell his employees that he will be going for a break.

They head upstairs to Iroh’s cosy apartment above the store and prepare their uncle’s tea tray whilst waiting for the man himself to appear. The two siblings are arguing over what record to put on when their uncle emerges from the café below and settles the argument for them by choosing a completely different record entirely.

Iroh shoos his niece and nephew away and tells them to sit as he places the needle on the record and hums along to the music that crackles into existence. He strolls over and sits opposite Azula and Zuko, nodding at Zuko for him to pour the tea.

They sip their tea leisurely as they talk – their conversation is less gossipy than the one Azula and Zuko had on the way over. Instead, they talk about their studies and Azula tells Iroh all about how she beat Zuko back at the gym.

“Oh, yes, tell the whole damn world, why don’t you?” Zuko sends a death glare at his sister, but it doesn’t last for long.

The music dies out, and Azula jumps up to flip the record to side B. Iroh pours them all more tea, and Zuko figures that now is as good a time as any to give Iroh the gift that he and Azula had agonised for _ages_ over when trying to choose.

He excuses himself, grabbing his tote bag from where he threw it on the kitchen counter and taking the present from inside. When he goes back into the living room, Azula and Iroh are laughing about something and he can’t help but smile to himself as he makes his way back over to them. He pushes the wrapped present over to his uncle and catches Azula rolling her eyes when Iroh actually looks _surprised._ As if Zuko _hasn’t_ been getting him a gift for this day every year since Ozai kicked him out and he ended up on Iroh’s doorstep with a half-mutilated face. Jeez.

“This is from both of us,” he says, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s not much, but –” Azula elbows him – _hard –_ to get him to shut up.

“We spent ages on this. You better like it.” Her voice is confident and intimidating, but there’s a slight tremor in her hand that tells Zuko that she’s just as nervous as he is.

Iroh notices their apprehension and is filled with a sudden surge of pride – it wasn’t too long ago, in the grand scheme of things, that they sat before him in fear that he would act like his brother. Now, the only thing they seem to be afraid of is him not liking whatever it is that they’ve gotten for him.

He gently peels the paper away from the present, taking extra care not to crease it and he is all too aware of the watchful eyes that are tracking his every move. Zuko doesn’t even attempt to be subtle, instead staring intensely with an unreadable expression on his face as he watches his uncle open the gift. Azula, on the other hand, sips her tea and does her best to appear unbothered, her eyes flickering around the room and avoiding meeting Iroh’s. Iroh decides to take pity on them, making quick work of peeling the rest of the paper away. As he does so, his breath catches in his throat as he sees what he has been given.

“Is it – is it okay? We didn’t want to make it seem like we’re replacing….” Zuko stammers out, his words tumbling over one another. “We wanted to get you something that honoured you as a dad, but not our dad, but also as an uncle – because you’re our uncle, and –”

“And that means more. To us.” Azula chimes in, and Zuko nods in agreement.

Iroh nods, not quite trusting himself to speak. In his hands is a beautiful handmade frame – made by Sokka, no doubt, who’s drawing skills may leave a lot to be desired, but his woodwork and construction skills are incomparable – with four photo slots. Iroh remembers taking the first photo; it was on a trip to the beach, and in the photo Lu Ten (who must’ve been in his late teens at that point) is being buried under the sand by two grinning children – Azula and Zuko. Ursa is sat nearby, smiling up at the camera from underneath a huge floppy sunhat. The second photo has Iroh himself in it – he sits between Zuko and Azula, who are slightly older than they were in the last photo but not by much. His arms are around his niece and nephew, neither of whom look thrilled to be in the photo, and he remembers Lu Ten laughing after taking this photo at Azula’s expression, and how Azula demanded that it be deleted. Iroh looks up at his niece now, and judging by the look on her face, she remembers it too.

The third photo is one he’s never seen before. It’s the most recent photo there, the only one where Zuko is old enough to have his scar. It’s a selfie, and it appears to have been taken by Azula, but both siblings look happy to be there. Azula’s smile in the photo is wide, almost as if she was in the middle of laughing when she took it, and Zuko looks content and free. Not much else can be seen in this photo as it’s very close to their faces, but Iroh can just make out that their arms are wrapped around each other’s shoulders.

The fourth photo – the fourth photo makes Iroh’s eyes water. He’s in this one – standing before a backdrop of a beautiful flower garden, with Lu Ten by his side. It was Lu Ten’s 22nd birthday, and the two of them are laughing at something one of them said. It was a good day, and Iroh remembers it well – the sun was shining, the food was good, and even Zuko and Azula didn’t cause _too_ much mischief on that day. He can’t draw his eyes away from the Lu Ten in the photo. He looks so happy, so sure of himself, so handsome. This photo was taken on a good day. Everything seemed so good.

Then five months later, Lu Ten was gone forever.

Iroh looks up at his niece and nephew, who both look slightly horrified by the tears that he knows are welling up in his eyes. He sighs. Everything seemed so good back then because things _were good,_ and they’re good now too, even if they’re not the same.

“Come here,” he says, stretching out his arms, and two of his children are there to scramble around the table and squeeze him in a hug.

He isn’t their father. He knows this. But – they’re still his children, no matter what.

“Happy Uncle’s Day,” Zuko mumbles from where his face is smushed into Iroh’s shoulder, and Iroh laughs quietly.

“Happy Father’s Day,” adds Azula, and Zuko removes his face from his uncle’s shoulder in order to glare at her.

“What?” she asks, unrepentant. “He’s still a dad, even if Lu Ten is…” She trails off, and Zuko’s face softens. Iroh holds onto his kids even tighter.

“I’m so proud of you both,” he whispers, and even though Zuko blushes and Azula makes a disgusted noise, neither of them lets go.

* * *

Zuko and Azula finish their tea with Iroh and leave after plenty of hugs and promises that they’ll visit him again soon. They head out of The Jasmine Dragon and Zuko invites Azula to come over to his apartment, which she accepts.

They arrive at the apartment; Azula teases Zuko about the cheesy love-notes that Sokka leaves everywhere and she pokes curiously at the dead flytrap. She assesses each photo that is stuck up on the wall, pausing when she sees one of her, Ty Lee and Mai stuck underneath a photo of Katara and Aang.

“Nice photos,” she says, because she still doesn’t quite know how to verbalise how seeing a photo of herself amongst the photos of all of Zuko’s friends makes her feel. She thinks Zuko understands though, because he smiles at her and nods in agreement.

They stand awkwardly in silence for a few moments, until Zuko says “Wanna get drunk?”

Azula lets out a sigh of relief.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

When Sokka gets home from spending the day with his dad and his sister, he’s somewhat surprised to find his weird boyfriend and his weird boyfriend’s weird sister sat on the living room floor painting each other’s nails whilst very clearly drunk.

“Uh, hey?” he says, cautiously stepping over the empty beer bottles as he crouches down to kiss Zuko. Eurgh. Booze breath. Gross.

Azula makes gagging noises, and Zuko looks like he wants to throw something at her but she’s currently holding his hands hostage as she paints his nails a vibrant red colour.

“Did you have a good day with –” Zuko burps slightly. “With Hakoda and Katara?” Sokka’s chest warms at the fact that even when drunk, Zuko thinks to ask him about his day. God. And to think he used to tease Aang about being a sap.

“Yeah, it was good. I take it you guys had a good day too?” He can’t help but smile at the look of concentration on Azula’s face as she paints Zuko’s nails, and the enthusiastic nod Zuko gives him in response.

Zuko looks like he’s going to say something, but Azula butts in before he has the chance.

“We were just talking about our piece of shit father,” she says, and her voice is as calm and as articulate as ever, as if she was talking about the weather. “Zuzu here tells me you’re quite the expert when it comes to insulting that bastard.”

Sokka is worried that the conversation is heading somewhere bad, but when he looks over at Zuko he’s nodding with mock-seriousness.

“Yeah, he’s the best in the field,” A grin slowly appears on his face. “Nobody can shit-talk Ozai quite like Sokka.” He puts down the bottle of rosé he’s holding in the hand that Azula isn’t painting and tugs on Sokka’s ankle, urging him to sit down.

Sokka smiles as he flops down next to Zuko, wrapping one arm round his boyfriend’s shoulders and grabbing the half-empty wine bottle with his free hand.

“Oh yeah?” Azula pushes Zuko’s hand away and tells him to blow, _gently,_ and motions for Sokka to give her his hand. Sokka takes a long sip from the wine bottle before putting it down and letting Azula paint over the chipped purple polish that’s already on his nails. “Go on then, Loverboy, show us what you’ve got.”

“What do you want me to _do,_ exactly? Think up insults for your dad off the top of my head?” He means for it to be sarcastic, but both Zuko and Azula look at him with matching expressions that say _duh._

“That’s what we’ve been doing for the past – what? Half an hour?” Zuko says, and Azula nods.

“Okay, okay, let me think for a second…” Sokka _could_ think of Ozai and everything he’s done for less than five minutes and it will be enough to send him into a rage, but it will also make him want to punch something and yell and that’s not what any of them need right now, not when the mood is surprisingly light for this topic, so he looks around the room for some inspiration for some more light-hearted jests. His eyes land on the Harry Potter boxset under the TV, and he grins.

“Alright, how’s this – I heard a dementor kissed your dad, and _it_ died,” It’s not his best work, he knows, but he really doesn’t think he deserves the booing or the cushion that hits him the face.

“Alright, alright! Let me try again,” he clears his throat dramatically and says, “Your dad is so full of shit, the toilet is jealous.”

This, at least, gets a snort from Zuko. Azula just looks disappointed – in who, Sokka can’t tell, but he thinks it might be in all three of them.

She sighs. “I should’ve known that you’d be no match for Ty Lee.”

“Ty Lee? As in, human-form-of-every-pink-heart-emoji-Ty Lee? That Ty Lee?”

“Oh yes,” Azula finishes painting the nails on his hand and looks expectantly at his other hand, that is still wrapped around Zuko’s shoulders. Sokka is loathe to remove it, but he shouldn’t have worried because Zuko is _wonderfully_ clingy after a few drinks, and as soon as Sokka’s arm is gone he takes it upon himself to wrap his own arms around Sokka’s waist and shove his legs across Sokka’s sprawling limbs until Zuko is almost sat in Sokka’s lap. Azula takes Sokka’s other hand without a word about her brother’s clinginess. “Ty Lee is – I’ve only ever seen her truly angry once, and the insults she came up with for Ozai were very… _creative,_ to say the least.”

Sokka thinks of Ty Lee – he’s friendly with her, but they’re not exactly _friends,_ but he knows her well enough to know that he can’t picture her full of rage. She’s always been full of a child-like innocence and optimism that reminds him of Aang, her pure smiles and wholesome attitude softening Azula and Mai’s edgy personas. He can’t picture her as anything but happy, but then he thinks of Aang – Aang is optimistic to the point where its almost nauseating, and he sees the best in everyone, but when someone hurts his friends, Sokka’s tiny bald buddy turns into a terrifying rage-monster. Sokka doesn’t know Ty Lee very well, but he knows she loves her friends, and it’s easier to picture her angry if its on behalf of someone she loves getting hurt.

“Your uncle can be pretty creative too,” he says, and Zuko frowns up at him.

“Uncle doesn’t – he doesn’t talk shit about Ozai. He hates him, but he doesn’t -”

Sokka thinks of all the times he had gone to have brunch with Iroh by himself, and how on multiple occasions Iroh had some _very_ choice words to say about Ozai, and how he would forgo reprimanding Sokka for his language when he would call Ozai a “fucking waste of space stupid piece of shit abusive _bastard”_ and would instead nod in vehement agreement as he sipped his tea. Sokka realises that he may not be the only one who has, _ahem,_ accidentally forgot to mention to Zuko that he frequently visits his uncle without Zuko present.

 _That crafty fucker,_ Sokka thinks, and quickly tries to backtrack.

“Uh… I just meant, he’s creative in general? With his proverbs and stuff? So I assumed he would be creative with insults. Guess I was wrong, haha!” Zuko seems satisfied with this, but Azula looks suspicious, so he quickly changes the topic. “How is he anyway? What did he think of the gift?”

Both Zuko and Azula light up at the chance to talk about their uncle, and Sokka suddenly finds himself trying to follow what they’re talking about as they speak enthusiastically over the top of one another about how he loved the gift, and the frame, and the tea, and how his shop is doing well and he sends Sokka his love and did you know he’s started working with a charity where he goes round different schools to talk to teachers about the signs of abuse?

Eventually the conversation dies down, and Sokka isn’t drunk but he’s had enough of the wine to make his eyelids feel heavy. He gently peels Zuko’s arms away from where they’re wrapped around him.

“Hey, I’m gonna head to bed.” Zuko pouts a bit, but Sokka just laughs and kisses it away. “Are you going to stay up longer?”  
  


Zuko takes one look at Azula, who is deliberately not looking at either of them, and he nods. “We won’t be too loud, pinky promise,” he holds his pinky out to Sokka, who laughs but links it with his own because he’s not a _heathen._ He kisses Zuko once more, before wishing him and Azula goodnight.

He grabs a glass of water from the kitchen before going to his and Zuko’s bedroom, and after a moment of consideration, he pours two extra glasses and gives them to Zuko and Azula before heading to bed.

* * *

**From: Hakoda**

**To: First-Born**

- _Thank you for today, son - it was good to see you and your sister! Did you get home safe?_

-no, i was brutally murdered and i am now texting you from beyond the veil.

_-Ah, that is a shame. But I suppose Zuko will be glad for some peace and quiet now._

-not a chance! u think i wouldn’t haunt him??

_-Of course, how could I be so foolish. Tell him to get in touch if he needs help with performing an exorcism._

-ha ha, very funny

_-You had to get it from somewhere._

-yeah, yeah. whatever.

-love you dad <3

_-Love ya too, son._

* * *

When Sokka wakes up, he’s alone in bed – not a rare occurrence, as Zuko tends to wake up at unholy hours in the morning, but what’s strange is that there’s no sign of him ever getting into bed at all. The pillows on Zuko’s side of the bed are clearly untouched. Sokka stretches his arms above his head until he hears a satisfying _crack,_ before he rolls out of bed and pulls the duvet with him, so that it’s wrapped around him like a cape as he pads tiredly out the bedroom on the hunt for his boyfriend.

He doesn’t have to look for long – he leaves the bedroom and enters the living room he immediately notices a very large and very comfy-looking lump on the sofa. The lump is made up of Zuko curled up under several blankets and cushions, with his sister curled up next to him and drooling on her brother’s shoulder.

Sokka slaps his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud and makes sure his phone is on silent as he stealthily snaps a million pictures of them before heading to the kitchen to quietly make some breakfast.

He’s clearly not quiet enough, though, because as his toast jumps out the toaster, he hears rummaging from the other room and he’s soon joined by a very sleepy looking Azula. He’s not used to seeing her like this – with no make-up, her hair slightly matted on one side from where she fell asleep against Zuko, wearing one of Zuko’s old Paramore t-shirts instead of the high-end fashion she’s usually dressed in. She looks slightly lost to be in front of him like this. She looks – not vulnerable, exactly, but definitely _young,_ and Sokka’s struck with the sudden realization that Zuko isn’t the only one who had to deal with Ozai’s bullshit. And it’s so utterly, incredibly _unfair,_ because even though he and Azula haven’t always been on the best terms, he still knows she’s a good person, and she cares about her loved ones so deeply, – even if she doesn’t know how to show it sometimes – and Zuko is so _gentle_ and _kind,_ and it’s just _not fair_ that now they have to deal with so much trauma because of their asshole of a father. It makes Sokka want to do all kind of un-Sokkalike things, like punch a wall (or, preferably, Ozai’s face), or scream until his lungs burn, or hunt down every cop and lawyer and judge who believed that six years was a perfectly adequate amount of time for that bastard to be behind bars and yell at them until they give Ozai a life sentence.

Sokka takes a few calming breaths instead, and smiles at Azula, who hesitantly smiles back.

“I was just making some toast. Do you want some?” He pulls a chair out for her, gesturing for her to sit down with an over the top wave of his hand, and she laughs as she sits down. He doesn’t give her a chance to answer before he’s putting the toast on a plate and pushing it towards her, along with the butter and jam. “Here, you have this, I’ll make some more.”

She looks slightly overwhelmed for a second, but quickly schools her expression into something more neutral as she begins buttering the toast. At some point she might even mumble a ‘thanks’ under her breath, but Sokka decides not to mention it.

He switches the kettle on while he waits for his own toast, grabbing three mugs from the cupboard. He can feel Azula’s eyes on him as he busies himself with the tea leaves and the strainers, and when he turns around, she grins around her toast at him. He grins back and pushes a mug of tea towards her. She cocks a brow at the print – _WOMEN WANT ME FISH FEAR ME_ – but says nothing as she takes a sip. Sokka goes to warn her that it’ll be hot, but she doesn’t even flinch.

Now, Sokka doesn’t want to be rude or insensitive, but he thinks there must be something _seriously wrong_ with this girl. That water was literally just boiled! How did she not burn her mouth?

His toast pops, making him jump, which makes Azula laugh and almost spit out her tea. He flips her the middle finger as he gets his heart-rate back under control and grabs his own breakfast.

“I’m glad he has you, y’know,” Azula says, apropos of absolutely nothing, as Sokka is licking raspberry jam off of his thumb. He freezes, and Azula immediately looks embarrassed about having displayed A Human Emotion™ in front of him, but she doesn’t break eye contact, which Sokka respects. He wipes some crumbs from his lap.

“I’m glad _I_ have _him,_ ” he says, and it seems to be the right response because Azula nods approvingly. “And I’m glad you guys, like, talk, or whatever, now.” He mentally facepalms. Way to put your foot in it, Sokka.

Or maybe – maybe it’s fine. Azula smirks.

“Or whatever.” She says. Sokka swallows down a bite of toast.

“Uh, yeah,” he says, and thankfully, _thankfully,_ Zuko joins them before Sokka can embarrass himself any further.

He stands in the doorway, blinking in bleary confusion at Sokka and Azula who are sat with toast crumbs round their mouths, before yawning and running a hand through his truly impressive bedhead.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty. There’s tea here for you.” Sokka pushes Zuko’s mug across the table, and Zuko smiles gratefully as he takes the seat in between his boyfriend and his sister. Sokka leans over for a good morning kiss, and Zuko’s face wrinkles as he pushes Sokka’s face away.

“Ugh, morning breath,” he says, but when Sokka whines he relents and kisses him anyway.

“I take it you guys slept well, then?” Sokka teases, and he’s absolutely _delighted_ to be met with matching death stares.

“Post those pictures _anywhere_ and you’re dead, Snoozles,” Zuko threatens, but his hair is still sticking out in every direction, and his eyes are still droopy with sleep, and he’s wearing one of Sokka’s hoodies, so overall he’s about as scary as a slightly pissed off kitten. Sokka’s never been more in love.

“How d’ya know I even took pictures, huh?” Zuko doesn’t even grace this with a verbal response, instead choosing to just send him a withering look over his tea.

Sokka raises his hands in surrender, and they eat their toast and drink their tea in a comfortable silence for a while. At some point, Sokka removes his duvet-cape from his shoulders, being warmed enough by the sunlight leaking through the blinds and the steam from his tea. Zuko, despite always claiming that he never wants breakfast, steals a slice of Sokka’s toast, like he always does, and Azula introduces Sokka to the absolute _magic_ that is sprinkling salt onto buttered toast.

Sokka thinks of the rage he felt earlier, how badly he wanted to punch something or someone, to get his revenge on Ozai with violence. He basks now in the peaceful morning, the only sounds the crunching of toast and quiet laughter, and he thinks that this is the best payback possible. Zuko and Azula are happy, and safe, and loved, and Ozai will never get to have this – a lazy, domestic morning surrounded by family. That’s better than any other punishment Sokka can think of.

(Later, when they’re all more awake, they’ll laugh together whilst cleaning up the beer bottles from the living room, and Azula will hug Zuko and give Sokka a fist-bump before saying goodbye. She’ll text Zuko once she gets home safe. Zuko and Sokka will go grocery shopping and Sokka will convince Zuko to get dino nuggets, and the cashier will flinch when she sees Zuko’s scar but Zuko will just smile as he gives her his rewards card to scan. And when Sokka and Zuko go to bed that night, Sokka will stroke Zuko’s hair and say, “Your dad’s an asshole”.

Zuko will laugh humourlessly.

“Yeah, he is. But it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not – it’s not _okay,_ Zuko, he -”

“I know, I know. It’s not okay. But _I_ am. _I’m_ okay. I really am.” He’ll look at Sokka with wide eyes, his expression completely open, and Sokka will believe him whole-heartedly.

“Yeah?” Sokka will ask, just to make sure.

“Yeah.” Zuko will smile sleepily at him, and Sokka will smile back.)

**Author's Note:**

> hope u enjoyed! leave a comment if u wanna. i hope u all had a good father's day, and if u don't have a good relationship w/ ur dad i will be happy to adopt u. yes, i am a 20 yr old lesbian. yes i can be ur dad. im multi-faceted like that.
> 
> my tumblr is heterozuko if u want to follow me :D


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